myers



Dec. 3, 1957 G. H. MYERS MECHANICALLY OPERATED COVER Filed April 14. 1955 INVENTOR.

GLEN H. MYERS v /ATTOBNEYS United States Patent 2,815,204 MECHANICALLY OPERATED COVER Glen H. Myers, Fort Wayne, Ind.

Application April 14, 1953, Serial No. 348,783

4 Claims. (Cl'. 268-74) The present invention. relates. to. amechanically' operated dust cover, and. more particularly toa mechanically operated dustcover which isv controllably moved-toits normal position over an extended period of time.

In factories and places of business which pay employees on an hourly basis, employee time cards are utilized to record the time when the employee starts working and the time he stops working. Card-stamping machines or clocks are generally used for this purpose, and operate to stamp automatically the time of day on the card the moment it is inserted into the machine. Such clocks are usually provided with a card-receiving slot having an upwardly exposed mouth for receiving the cards. Such slots opening upwardly, it is obvious that airborne foreign matter, such as dust, easily settles through the slot mouth and thereby pervades the machine mechanism, and after a period of time, causes operational failure.

In view of the foregoing, it is an object of this invention to provide means for shielding the mouth of the slot.

It is another object of this invention to provide a cover mechanism for a card-stamping clock which will not interfere with the normal operation of the clock, but which will prevent the communication of airborne foreign matter to the clock mechanism.

It is yet another object of this invention to provide a mechanically operated dust cover for a time clock which may be quickly opened to insert a time card into the clock, and which will automatically cover the cardreceiving opening after a predetermined period of time.

Other objects will become apparent as the description proceeds.

To the accomplishment of the above and related objects, my invention may be embodied in the forms illustrated in the accompanying drawings, attention being called to the fact, however, that the drawing is illustrative only, and that specific changes may be made in the specific construction illustrated and described, so long as the scope of the appended claims is not violated.

The drawing is a perspective illustration of an embodiment of the present invention shown in slot-covering and slot-opening positions.

With reference to the drawing, a card-stamping clock of conventional design and provided with a cardreceiving slot 12 serves to stamp automatically the time of day on a card immediately upon its insertion into the slot 12. A dust cover, indicated generally by reference numeral 14, is mounted immediately above the clock 10 so as to cover completely the slot 12 when in the position as illustrated by the full line drawing. This cover mechanism 14 is comprised of a right angle wall-mounting bracket 16, the vertical flange 18 of this bracket serving to mount the assembly 14 on a suitable supporting structure such as a wall or the like. A cover plate 20 is supported on the front edge of the bracket 14 by means of a hinge 22 whereby the cover 20 may be swung upwardly to its dashed line position illustrated at 24.

2 On the front portion of the cover is mounted a retaining means or bracket 26 having a clearance slot 28-.

A timing'device fal) is mounted on the wall bracket 14 to the rear of the hinge 22*. This: timing device 30 is of conventional design and inthe present instance includes mechanism whereby the clock may be set or wound to initiate a timed mechanical motion.

An operating arm 32 is secured to the rotary shaft 34* of the device 30- and extends through the slot 28 in the cover bracket 26;

In operation, when a person desires to insert a card into the clock slot- 12, it isonlynecessary for" himto swing the cover 20 upwardly: to the dashed line position Maud thento stamp his cardin the usual manner. By movement of the cover 20 to the position 24, the arm 3-2 is raised to its dashed line; position. This movement of the arm 32 winds the clock 30 whereupon the clock 30 becomes immediately operative to pivot forcefully the arm downwardly at a slow rate as determined by the clock 30 operating time.

For factory applications, it has been found that a preadjustment of the clock 30 to a lowering time of twenty minutes serves the requirement of accommodating the usual number of employees starting or returning from work. By means of this invention, the slot 12 is covered almost continuously so that foreign matter will not settle thereinto, and use of the card-stamping clock is not interfered with during rush periods.

Generally, the arm 32 may be considered as corresponding to the minute hand of a conventional clock, the position of the arm determining the angular position of the cover 20.

What is claimed is:

1. An automatically operable shield device comprising a support, a plate-like cover member hingedly carried by said support for vertical angular movement with respect thereto, an upstanding bracket mounted on said cover member and being provided with an elongated opening, a timing device mounted on said support, and an arm pivotably mounted on said timing device and being operated thereby for vertical angular movement, said arm passing through said bracket opening for limited free movement relative to said bracket whereby lifting movement of said arm will serve to pivot said cover member upwardly and to thereby actuate said timing device, said timing device thereafter operating to lower said arm and said cover to a predetermined position, said timing device including mechanism which controls the lowering time of said arm and cover.

2. An automatically operable shield device comprising a support, a plate-like member hingedly carried along one edge by said support for vertical angular movement with respect thereto, an upstanding bracket mounted adjacent the edge of said member which is remote from the hinged edge thereof, said bracket having an elongated vertically disposed opening, a timing device on said support, and an arm pivotably mounted on said timing device and being operated thereby for vertical angular movement, said arm being slidably received by said elongated opening and being relatively movable vertically therein with respect to said bracket, the pivot point of said arm on said timer being disposed to the rear of said hinged edge, whereby lifting movement of said arm will serve to pivot said cover member upwardly and to thereby actuate said timing device, said timing device including mechanism which controls the lowering time of said arm and cover.

3. An automatically operable shield device comprising a support, a plate-like cover member having a hinged edge which is hingedly secured to said support whereby said member may be swung vertically with respect to said support, an upstanding bracket mounted adjacent the edge of said member which is remote from the. hinged edge thereof, said bracket having an elongated vertically disposed opening, a timing device on said support, and an arm pivotably mounted on said timing device and being operated thereby for vertical angular movement, said arm being slidably received by said elongated opening and being relatively movable vertically therein with respect to said bracket, the pivot point of said arm onsaid timer being disposed to the rear of said hinged edge, whereby lifting movement of said arm will serve to pivot said cover member upwardly and to thereby actuate said timing device, said timing device including mechanism which controls the lowering time of said arm and cover.

4. An automatically operable shield device comprising a support, a cover, said cover being hingedly secured along one edge to said support, a timing mechanism mounted on said support to one sideof said one edge, an arm pivotably secured to said timing mechanism, a connection on said member slidably receiving said am whereby movement of said arm serves to cause corresponding movement of said cover, said connection having lost-motion means which permits limited lost-motion angular movement of said arm with respect to said cover, said arm overhanging said cover when the latter is vertically positioned thereby imparting a force moment on said cover tending to start swinging movement of the latter downwardly, said timing mechanism including means which controls the lowering time of said arm and cover.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 521,993 Savage et al. June 26, 1894 1,040,504 Bundy Oct. 8, 1912 1,776,370 Proctor Sept. 23, 1930 2,157,682 Sweeny May 9, 1939 2,327,584 Goldberg et al. Aug. 24, 1943 2,345,594 Gardner Apr. 4, 1944 2,524,299 Sutherland Oct. 3, 1950 2,640,461 Dadlow June 2, 1953 

